Production diseases are widespread (also in
organic livestock farming) and are perceived by society as a negative external
effect of livestock farming. Production diseases lead to the use of
antibiotics, are an expression of impaired animal welfare and cause failure
costs for agricultural enterprises. Although much research has been performed
on the causes and prevention, production diseases are widespread. The aim of
this study was to critically examine the process of improving animal health
described by the term "knowledge transfer" and to identify obstacles.
To this end, the Reflexion research project conducted workshops with
representatives of various stakeholder groups (farmers, advisors,
veterinarians, scientists, professional associations and NGOs) and subjected
their ideas and assessments on the topic of "animal health" to comprehensive
reflection from the perspective of communication science and epistemology
(publications I and II). Among the obstacles to knowledge transfer were the
variation and complexity of the farm situation and various conflicts (e.g.
between economics and animal health). At the stakeholder level, the
inconsistent understanding of animal health combined with subjective
perceptions and self-referential assessments emerged as barriers to successful
knowledge transfer. Some of the stakeholders in the network pursued conflicting
interests. An unclear understanding of self and role was associated with a
diffusion of responsibility and seemed likely to lead to system-maintaining and
persisting motives instead of change.

In the Tier-Wirt project (publication III), the
complexity of farm interrelationships and the variation between farms, which
were identified as an obstacle to knowledge transfer, were addressed using 32
dairy farms as examples. Based on milk recording data, five farm types were
identified in terms of performance level and health status (emergent system
variables), which, apart from other parameters, differed significantly in the
proportion of dairy cows that were able to earn at least the costs associated
with their rearing and keeping until they left the farm (profit cows). In the
groups of farms characterised by a larger proportion of cows with indications
of metabolic problems, the proportion of profit cows was sometimes well below
50 %, even with very high milk yields. Differences between farm types
highlighted the need for specific strategic farm objectives and measures. The
proportion of profit cows seems to be suitable as a key variable for strategic
farm management, as it aggregates both the survivability of the individual
animal and the economic sustainability of the farm and thus does justice to the
complexity of the systems. As a target variable of farm management, it can
awaken the need for specific knowledge to reduce production diseases and thus
promote change.

In the general discussion, the identified
obstacles to knowledge transfer and the concept of knowledge transfer were
critically discussed in the context of systems science research. The still
widespread linear concept of knowledge transfer was identified as misguided for
the field of animal health. Another obstacle to improving animal health is the
productivist character of agriculture and the associated stakeholder network.
From a system-oriented perspective, the (measurable) goal of reduced production
diseases must be linked to the purpose of farms (and thus self-preservation),
so that a need for new knowledge and motivation for its implementation arise
and the existing stakeholder network with its diverse actors aligns itself with
this new goal.